1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to novel anti-microbial compositions and, more specifically, relates to stable antimicrobial compositions comprising the reaction product of the reaction of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) with hypochlorites.
2. Description of the Background Art
Various halogens and halogen-containing compounds have long been known for their effectiveness as bleaching agents, antiseptics, bactericides, disinfectants and the like. Such compounds such as chlorine, iodine and hypochlorites, have been used previously to destroy pathogens including various bacteria and other microorganisms. However, halogens and halogen-containing compounds are known to have several disadvantages. For example, since they are typically strong oxidizing and/or halogenating agents, they tend to be very reactive with certain materials, such as plastics, dyes and tints, metallic surfaces, and certain organic matter. Because many of these compounds are volatile, have volatile components, or have a highly reactive nature, they are typically difficult if not impossible to dry into a solid. With a few exceptions, halogens and halogen-containing compounds are generally toxic and/or strong irritants to animal tissue and exhibit an offensive odor. Thus, for all of the reasons cited above, halogens and halogen-containing compounds have met with limited commercial success as disinfectants.
It is also known that iodine and bromine can be complexed with PVP. PVP-iodine complexes are the best known of these compounds. These complexes may be used as disinfectants and preservatives with much of their aseptic properties resulting from the slow release of active halogen. However, these halogen-containing complexes also have known disadvantages causing them to be unsuitable for many commercial applications. Most notably, these compounds exhibit loss of halogen or halide ion over time, especially when heated and/or dried. Further, PVP-iodine complexes have a characteristically undesirable color and odor.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a highly stable, broad spectrum antimicrobial composition having an improved therapeutic index (i.e. improved safety and efficacy), particularly when compared with conventional hypochlorites. The PVP-hypochlorite reaction products of this invention unexpectedly exhibit a high degree of antimicrobial activity without the harmful or undesirable bleaching or extreme reactivity exhibited by typical halogen-containing compounds. Further, the reaction products of the present invention do not exhibit an offensive odor and can be dried to a stable solid, having high solubility in both polar and nonpolar solvents. The resulting solid can be used to prepare colorless antimicrobial solutions.